A new report by war crimes watchdog The Sentry exposes the Wagner Group’s deeply destabilizing three-year presence in Mali,revealing a record of military failure,civilian massacres,and political fractures rather than security gains.
Deployed in 2022 under a $10 million/month deal with Mali’s junta,the Russian paramilitary force claimed its “mission was accomplished” upon its 2025 withdrawal. In reality,the report details what it calls a “triple failure”: Wagner failed to defeat jihadists,exacerbated civilian suffering,and undermined trust between Mali’s army and local populations. Instead of strategic victories,Wagner left a trail of brutality — most notably the Moura massacre of March 2022,where over 500 civilians were killed. Their counterinsurgency tactics,including drone strikes on weddings and cooperation with ethnic militias,intensified jihadist recruitment. One fighter from al-Qaeda-linked JNIM said Russian brutality pushed local Malians to join the fight to “defend their religion,their land and their goods.”
Mali’s military also suffered. Coordination collapsed amid Wagner’s disregard for command structures and rampant racism,culminating in a 2024 ambush in Tinzaouatène that killed over 130 Malian and Russian troops. The incident shattered Wagner’s aura of battlefield superiority. The group’s presence also worsened junta rivalries and drained state finances. Moscow’s new force,Africa Corps,has since replaced Wagner,but jihadists continue to gain ground,including capturing Farabougou in central Mali this week. The report urges International Criminal Court (ICC) investigations,sanctions,and a Sahel strategy rethink — warning that Wagner’s Mali legacy is a cautionary tale,not a model for future security partnerships.
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